Snap-switch for electric-lamp circuits.



No. 652,598 Patented June 26, I900.

E. I. 00008. SNAP SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC LAMP CIRCUITS.

(Application filed Sept. 9, 1899. Renewed May 29, 1900.)

(No Model.)

WWI/ 5555;

ATTOF/V FICEQ ETI-IAN I. DODDS, OF AVALON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOGEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA;

SNAP-SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC-LAMP CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part'of Letters Patent No. 652,598, dated June 26,1900.

Application filed September 9, 1899. Renewed May 29, 1900. Serial No.18,461. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ETHAN I. DODDS, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Avalon, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSnap-Switches for Electric-Lamp Circuits, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in switches such as are adapted toclose two circuits simultaneously and to permit the successive ruptureof the said circuits, such rupture being accomplished by a quick suddenmovement. The characteristics described adapt my switches for use inconnection with the circuits of Nernst lamps, wherein it is convenientand advantageous to close the circuit of the glower at the same timethat the circuit of a heater for the said glower is brought intooperation, and wherein also it is convenient and advantageous to breakthe heater-circuit before the circuit of the glower is ruptured. Whenthe glower has thus been left in operation as long as is desired, meanshave to be provided for breaking the glowercircuit also, and the presentinvention provides an apparatus which is adapted to fulfil all thedesired functions and is at the same time simple in its construction andeiiicient in its operation.

' I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is plan of my switch with the cover removed. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical section of my switch. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate detailsof the switch shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a plan of a modifiedform of switch, and Fig. 6 is a detail of the switch illustrated in Fig.5.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A is a base, of porcelain orothergood insulating material. Iivoted within the said base is a shaftB, which is provided with a bent portion or crank C and with a handle D,of insulating material. To the shaft B is rigidly secured a bent arm E,constituting a contact-arm, which cooperates with springs F and G,secured to the base A. When the said contact arm E is so located thatits end is between the springs F and G, it brings into contact with thesaid springs a pin II, of metal, which is held in the end of the arm E,but so as to be insulated therefrom. A second contactarmI is looselymounted upon the shaft B and has a similar pin 11, held within its outerend and insulated therefrom, the said pin being adapted to make contactwith springs K and L, secured to the base A, when the end of the arm Iis located between the said springs. On the arm I is mounted a standardM, preferably of insulating material, and by means of a spring N thesaid standard is connected to a lug c on the crank 0. Below the arm I aspiral spring 0 is connected at one end to the base A and at the otherto the crank G. The connection is such that when the handle D is turnedso as to move the shaft B toward the right the said spring is put undertension. The springs F and G are connected to the terminals of a circuitwhich includes an electric heater P, adapted to become hot under theinfluence of the current proceeding from any suitable generator, such asthe secondary of a converter, (shown at Q.) In proximity to this heaterI show a glower R, which is located in a branch circuit to the heater,the terminals of which branch or derived circuit are connected to thesprings K and L. Manifestly the arm E, being fixed to the shaft B, willmove with the shaft,while the arm I, being loosely mounted on the saidshaft, will have a movement independent of the shaft and depending onthe pull of the spring N. In the first position of the switch the arms Eand I are in the position shown in dotted lines, the former restingagainst a pin or stop S, secured in the base A, and the latter restingagainst a pin or stop S, also secured in the base A. The oppositeextreme positions of the arms E and I are those in which the formerrests against a pin or stop T, secured in the base A, and the latterrests against a pin or stop T, similarly secured.

The crank G is formed externally on the lines of the arc of a circle,with a dog U, car rying a roller it, pressing against its periphery, thesource of pressure being a spring a, attached to a post 0, secured tothe base A. The crank is provided with notches e 6', into which theroller u is adapted to be pressed when the crank is turned into theproper p0 sition to allow of it. In the first position of the arm E, asalready described, the roller u rests within the notch e, and in theother extreme position of the parts the roller rests upon the peripheryof the crank, as appears in Fig. 1. There is, however, an intermediateposition for the arm E (represented in dotted lines) between the twoextreme positions, and in this intermediate position the roller to restswithin the notch e.

In operating the switch the handle is first turned to the right untilthe arm E is brought into the position illustrated in Fig. 1. Thisaction puts both the spring 0 .and the spring N under tension andcarries the latter spring outside the center of the shaft 13, therebythrowing the arm I into the power of the said spring and causing it tobe drawn into the position shown in Fig. 1. In this position both theheater and the glower circuits are closed. The heater is thereby broughtinto operation and begins its work of raising the temperature of theglower B. When this work has been accomplished to such a degree that thesaid glower becomes a good conductor, the operator releases the pressureof the arm and allows the arm E to be carried into its intermediateposition, thereby breaking the heater-circuit. The arm I, however,continues to maintain contact between the springs K and L, and theglower remains active so long as this conditionremains. To turn out thelight, the switch-handle is turned to the left far enough to bring thearm E against the stop S. At this moment the spring N, having passedbeyond the center of the shaft B, throws the arm I with a quick movementout of contact with the arms K and L, and thus ruptures theglower-circuit.

In Fig. 5 I show a simpler form of spring or snap switch, the sameconsisting, essentially, of a base A, arms E and l, and a shaft B, towhich the said arms are rigidly secured, in combination with springs Kand L, cooperating with the arm I, and springs F and G, cooperating withthe arm E. The said arms E and I are, like the arms E and I in Figs. 1and 2, of metal, preferably brass, and they have secured within theirends, but insulated therefrom, the contact-pins 7c and 10,respectively.- The arms are formed at their point of union with theshaft B into a hub having a notch or depression I). A dog U, carrying aroller '11, is held against the said hub by a spring N. The saidspringis attached to the dog U and the arm E, as shown. In the originalposition of the switch the arms E and I are outside the ends of thecontact-springs F and G and K and L. The first operation of the switchconsists in turning the shaft B to the leftuntil the arms E and I occupythe position shown in the drawings. The switch is held in this positionuntil the glower. is seen to be in a condition to carry the electriccurrent, whereupon the hand releases the switch, which then takes theposition shown in dotted lines,

wherein the arm I is carried out of range with thesprings K L, althoughthe arm E is still in range with the springs F G. The

heater-circuit is thus broken and the glowerelectric heater therefor andseparate circuits for the glower and heater, of a hand-operated switchhaving independent contact arms adapted to close both circuits byamovement of the hand, and a spring adapted to operate the arm whichcontrols the heater-circuit by a quick sudden movement.

2. The combination with two circuits one including a glower and theother an electric heater therefor, of a pair of terminals for eachcircuit and two switch-arms controlling the said circuits, means foroperating the said switch-arms by hand for closing the said circuitssimultaneously, and a spring connected with the arm that controls theheater-circuit, whereby a quick sudden movement of the said arm can beeffected.

Signed at New York, in the countyof New York and State of New York, this11th day of August, A. D. 1899.

ETHAN I. DODDS.

Witnesses:

WM. H. OAPEL, I GEORGE H. STOCKBRIDGE.

